"Every turn of the cards changes the situation. A good player isnt
waiting to see the next card. A good player is interpreting the environment and
planning their next move to bet, call or fold before the next card is turned.
The turn of the card and the reaction of the other players dictates which plan
is implemented. The point is that change is planned. Once your followers are
ready for change, you implement the plan."Andrew J. Harvey and Raymond E. Foster (Leadership: Texas Hold 'em
Style).

Articles on Leadership
and Decision Making

Problem Definition
A clear problem definition is the first, and, perhaps, most important step
toward rationally selecting the best alternative. Many dedicated and intelligent
individuals have produced elegant solutions for problems other than those they
were tasked to solve. Therefore, a good executive decision maker participates in
problem definition because this step establishes the goal for everything else
that follows and places a premium on professional judgment.READ MORE

Consensus Team Decision Making
The Westerner and the Japanese man mean something different when they talk of
"making a decision." In the West, all the emphasis is on the answer to the
question. To the Japanese, however, the important element in decision making is
defining the question. The crucial steps are to decide whether there is a need
for a decision and what the decision is about. And it is in that step that the
Japanese aim at attaining consensus. Indeed, it is this step that, to the
Japanese, is the essence of decision. The answer to the question (what the West
considers the decision) follows from its definition. During the process that
precedes the decision, no mention is made of what the answer might be. . . .
Thus the whole process is focused on finding out what the decision is really
about, not what the decision should be.READ MORE

Effective Decision Making
One of the critical, but often overlooked, requirements for effective leadership
is sound decision making. This is especially true as we soar ever higher into
the ranks of middle and upper management. Typically, as this progression occurs,
leaders become more focused on strategic decisions relating to plans, policies,
programs and personnel, and less consumed with day-to-day tactical concerns.
Good decision making, especially in middle and upper management, will therefore
likely increase overall organizational health and effectiveness. Understanding
the meaning and art of deciding, therefore, is paramount.READ MORE

Ethical Decision-Making: The Link Between Ambiguity and
Accountability
A growing body of literature thoroughly examines the topic of ethics in public
service from numerous, contrary, and complementary perspectives. What is ethics
in public service? Ethics in public service is the study of the nature of
morals and moral choices and the rules governing a profession that define
professional conduct (Bruce, 2001, p. xiii). How do we know if it is effective?
Who determines? How do we measure it? In answering these questions it becomes
remarkably clear that there are no absolutes. Nor is there any single school of
thought or theory to guide the inquiry. Why do we try to understand ethics in
public service? The answer is clear: because we intuitively know it makes a
difference.READ MORE

NCOs and Values-Based Decision Making
In the Army of One, senior leaders look to the NCO Corps to embrace a value
system that develops character and to lead soldiers. The Army depends on its
NCOs to create the environment and set the tempo for success in full-spectrum
operations. Successful NCOs anticipate change, exploit every opportunity to meet
the units objectives and motivate their subordinates to higher levels of
productivity to achieve the units goals. Successful sergeants promote Army
Values and take care of soldiers in the process. In short, they are leaders with
values-based decision-making skills.READ ON

Studies in Group Leadership How Should We Decide Elements of
Sound Decision Making
Making decisions and solving problems takes much time and energy. But most
groups allow little time and energy to selecting a decision-making model or to
evaluating the process once the decision has been reached or a solution
attempted. Ideally, decisions arise as a result of judgments and reasoning to a
final conclusion, unfortunately, that is not always the case. Problem solving
involves the organization and arrangement of several decisions so that they will
have some usefulness solving a problem.READ MORE